The Final Frontier Drum Setup: Nicko McBrain's Gear on Iron Maiden's Grammy-Nominated 2010 Epic | MetalForge
The complete gear breakdown for Iron Maiden's The Final Frontier (2010). Discover the Premier Artist kit, Paiste Signature cymbals, and progressive drumming ...
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Iron Maiden win a Grammy for The Final Frontier?
Iron Maiden received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards in 2011 for the track 'El Dorado' from The Final Frontier. The nomination was one of the most prominent Grammy recognitions in Iron Maiden's career. The 53rd Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011. The Final Frontier debuted at number one in the UK and the US Billboard 200, making it the band's highest-charting American album in decades. The combination of chart success and Grammy recognition made The Final Frontier one of the most acclaimed albums of Iron Maiden's 21st-century catalog.
What drums does Nicko McBrain use on The Final Frontier?
Nicko McBrain recorded The Final Frontier (2010) on a Premier Artist kit with birch/basswood shells. The configuration featured a single 22-inch bass drum, three rack toms (10, 12, and 13 inch), and two floor toms (16 and 18 inch). His snare was a Premier Nicko McBrain Signature model at 14 by 6.5 inches with a maple shell. The album's progressive demands — tracks averaging over nine minutes — required sustained single-pedal endurance and a wide fill vocabulary across extended dynamic ranges. See the [Nicko McBrain drummer profile](/drummer/nicko-mcbrain) for his complete career gear history.
How progressive is the drumming on The Final Frontier?
The Final Frontier represents the most progressive drumming demands of Nicko McBrain's Iron Maiden career. The album's average song length exceeds nine minutes, with 'When the Wild Wind Blows' running thirteen minutes — the longest studio track in Iron Maiden's history at the time of release. Nicko had to sustain concentration, energy, and musical intelligence across extended single-take performances that spanned massive dynamic ranges: from near-ambient atmospheric passages to full-speed metal at over 150 BPM. His expanded cymbal setup (three crashes, a 22-inch Power Ride, 15-inch hi-hats) reflected the album's progressive demands. For comparison with the preceding album, see the [A Matter of Life and Death drum setup article](/articles/a-matter-of-life-and-death-drum-setup).
What is the relationship between The Final Frontier and The Book of Souls?
The Final Frontier (2010) and The Book of Souls (2015) form consecutive chapters in Iron Maiden's progressive 21st-century catalog. Both albums feature extended, ambitious progressive structures and represent Nicko McBrain at his most technically and endurance-demanding. The Final Frontier established the template: UK #1 and US #1 debut, average song lengths of nine-plus minutes, Grammy nomination for 'El Dorado.' The Book of Souls extended this ambition further with a double album and tracks running up to eighteen minutes. Together they bookend a decade of Iron Maiden at their most progressive. See the [Book of Souls drum setup article](/articles/book-of-souls-drum-setup) for the follow-up.